---
title: 'The BEST Opening Utility for MIRAGE!'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=e5wFrnOyRWE'
video_id: 'e5wFrnOyRWE'
date: 2026-06-14
duration_sec: 406
---

# The BEST Opening Utility for MIRAGE!

> Source: [The BEST Opening Utility for MIRAGE!](https://youtube.com/watch?v=e5wFrnOyRWE)

## Summary

This video covers essential opening utility for Mirage in CS2, including molotovs, smokes, and flashes for A site, mid, and B site, with spawn timing considerations and counter-utility tips.

### Key Points

- **A Site Spawn Timing** [0:43] — Ramp TEs can be out by 1:48, so throw a molly early to prevent aggression.
- **A Site Molly Lineup** [0:56] — Aim left of antenna, release as you pass corner. Blocks visibility for T's trying OP pick.
- **Flash for Connector** [1:19] — Flash over connector for teammates fighting mid, using a W jump throw.
- **HE into Ramp** [1:34] — Time HE into ramp as molly fades to catch T's pushing.
- **Mid Window Smoke** [1:46] — CT wins race to mid; smoking window is essential. Easiest: jump throw from stair corner on rug.
- **Alternative Window Smoke** [2:14] — Old version from trash can corner: aim, hold D, jump throw. Can be blocked.
- **Instant Window Smokes** [2:25] — Faster smokes to take mid with pace; shown on screen with spawn labels.
- **Connector and Short Smokes** [2:51] — Connector smoke from trash can side, jump throw at first step on rug. Short smoke from same position, aim at specific spot.
- **Cross Smoke** [3:20] — Pair with window smoke to threaten CTs. Left click throw at top of antenna from same corner.
- **Breaking Mid Smoke** [3:41] — Two ways: crouch in corner, look at black spot, right click jump throw; or Monosy's lineup along wall, right click release, jump onto sawhorse.
- **Molly Before Smoke Break** [4:30] — Molly boxes before smoke blooms for more info and easier picks.
- **One-Way Flash** [4:41] — Throw flash instead of HE in smoke break lineup for a one-way flash to peek mid.
- **Pressure Mid with Smoke** [4:50] — Smoke outside connector to threaten underpass peek; can also hold headshot angle inside connector.
- **Underpass Flash (Donk Flash)** [5:04] — Left and right click throw at light to blind underpass without warning.
- **B Site Deep Molly** [5:18] — Back against boxes, window in frame, aim at dark spot above, running throw before corner. Disrupts early apps pressure.
- **Shallow Molly for Rush** [5:41] — If expecting rush, use quicker, shallower molly.
- **HE into Kitchen** [5:51] — Pair deep HE into kitchen after molly fades, then jump spot. Save smoke for defense.
- **Flashes for Mid from B** [6:09] — If not worried about apps, throw flashes for mid teammates from B position.

### Conclusion

Mastering these opening utility lineups for Mirage will give you a significant advantage in taking map control and countering enemy aggression.

## Transcript

Are you tired of getting rushed down on
B site, picked in mid, or caught off
guard on A? Well, today we're going to
talk about the must know opening utility
for Mirage in CS2. But before we dive
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today. Let's get back into the video.
Let's get started with the A site.
Before we can know what to throw, we
have to understand the spawn timings for
each position. For ramp, the TE's can be
out by 148. So, your best course of
action is to throw a molly as early as
possible, preventing the TE's from
getting too spicy. With the incendiaries
being smaller, it's ideal to have them
land around here. The pros generally
throw it by aiming at the left of this
antenna and releasing it just as they
pass the corner. On the fly, this times
out well to help you cross the connector
since it'll block visibility for any of
the T's trying to go for an aggressive
OP pick. This molly should prevent
anyone from jumping up on the right side
or crossing all the way to the corner
here on the left. Afterwards, if your
teammates are going for fights in mid,
it's important to flash over connector
for them. If you watch Magisk play,
he'll generally throw all of this on the
run as he's crossing towards connector.
Generally, I do a nice little W jump
throw like this, but it doesn't have to
be that precise. Now, if you're not the
connector player and instead you're the
A anchor, it might be a good idea to try
to time out an H into ramp just as the
Molotov starts to fade. You'd be
surprised how much UD you can actually
get from simply throwing H's on the back
of incendiaries. Now, let's turn our
attention over to mid. With a decent
spawn, the CT is going to be winning
this race every single time. This makes
smoking window on T-side an absolute
must. There's a reason this is the most
thrown smoke in all of CS2. The easiest
way to throw the smoke is going right
here onto the stair corner and doing a
simple jump throw right at this position
along the rug. While it's amazing to
finally have a window smoke that only
requires a regular jump throw, this
one's a bit easier to block since it
bounces so low off of short. And of
course, the old version is from this
corner right here in the trash can.
You're going to aim in this position,
hold D, and then jump through. But hey,
even this one can be blocked. It's just
a little bit more difficult. But if
you're a nerd like me and know the
instant window smokes, you'll never have
this issue because they land much faster
and are going to help you take mid with
a little bit more pace. I'm showing all
of them quickly on screen right now in
the background with the spawn clearly
labeled. So feel free to pause, rewind,
or slow it down all you want if you need
to focus in on these. And hey, if you're
looking for a more detailed explanation
on each and every one of these lineups,
I've made a thorough guide on instant
smokes for every map. link is in the
description. Now, of course, depending
on the objective of the mid utility,
it's also a good idea to throw either a
connector or short smoke to complement
your window smoke. For connector, the
easiest smoke is from this side of the
trash can and simply doing a jump throw
at this first step up in the pattern on
the rug. This should fill all the way up
to the top, leaving no gaps to be
exploited. If you'd rather smoke short
from that same exact position, you can
aim right here and do yet again another
simple jump throw. I prefer one that
bleeds out a little bit, preventing the
CTs from using this corner as cover.
Now, for more generalized mid control,
I'd recommend pairing a simple crossm
smoke up with the window smoke. This is
going to threaten the CTS and have them
wondering whether or not someone is
actually behind the boxes. To throw it,
just go in that exact same corner and do
a simple left click throw at the top of
this antenna. That thing's going to land
here and allow you to cross completely
unscathed from the connector or mid
player. But what about when the rolls
are reversed? Believe it or not, there
are a couple of counters when it comes
to this sort of utility. As everyone
knows by now, it's extremely powerful to
break the midm smoke. Even if you don't
see anyone or you missed the shot, the
information gained is just as valuable.
And there are two ways to break it. The
easiest, in my opinion, is you're going
to get stuck into this corner right
here. You're going to crouch down, look
at this black spot, stand up, and do a
right click jump through. That's going
to explode just under the window,
breaking the smoke without damaging you
at all. However, while this breaks the
most common smokes, there are some
instances where it's unable to be broken
from that lineup. In those specific
scenarios, Monosy has a break where he
goes along the wall right here, looks
up, and does a simple rightclick release
along this dark spot. He's then going to
jump onto the saworse, taking no damage
to the nade while getting full
visibility of top mid. These sorts of
breaks work best if you're mollogging
out the boxes at the beginning of the
round just before the smoke blooms. This
not only gives you more information
during a smoke break, but can also make
it easier for your teammates to get
picks if the TE's aren't tucking behind
those boxes. Now, rewinding a bit to
that first H break, if you throw a flash
instead of a nade in that situation, it
works as a fantastic one-way flash to
help you peak into mid. Another great
way to pressure mid early is by throwing
a smoke outside of connector like this,
threatening a peak into underpass. You
could also stay inside of connector and
use it as a nice headshot angle. Even if
you don't do anything with it, it's
going to likely slow the TE's down as
they have to respect it. Now, the
underpass peak is going to be most
effective if you pair that up with a
nice left and right click throw at this
light, completely blinding all of
underpass without any warning at all.
Most people are calling this the donk
flash. And believe me, it is worth
giving it a shot. All right, enough
about mid. Let's talk about B site.
You'll see most professional players
going here and throwing a deep molotov
to disrupt any sort of early ABS
pressure. To throw it, keep your back
against these boxes and keep the window
in frame. Aim with a dark spot above it
and do a running throw before you hit
the corner. Any T that ends up in front
of it will likely be spotted in the
open. Now, keep in mind this molly is to
counter and disrupt contact plays. A
rush is generally going to get right
through this. If you're expecting a
full-blown rush or hear something
coming, a quicker, shallower molly is
probably going to be your friend. Now,
with that first molly in mind, I
generally enjoy pairing up a deep H into
kitchen right after it starts to fade.
After that, you just get to jump spot
and wait for any sort of contact for the
rest of the round. I'd recommend holding
on to your smoke, though, and never
deploying it in the early round, saving
it for defensive concealment. Now, if
you're not really worried about them
lurking out apps on you, you can always
get set up in this position to throw
flashes for your teammates in mid if
your A players aren't doing that great
of a job. But normally, I'd say just
jump spot until the mid to late round.
However, those details are for a
different video. Hopefully you guys
learned something new here, and if not,
hopefully it was a nice little
refresher. At the very least, I'm going
to be covering the essential opening
utility on every single map in CS2. I've
already covered Dust 2, so feel free to
check that out right now. But before I
go, I do want to thank all of my amazing
channel members on screen right now.
Thank you guys so much for allowing me
to do what I love every single day.